Pressure sensors are used to sense the pressure of various fluids (both liquid and gas) in various environments. The particular type of pressure sensor that is used in a particular application may depend, at least in part, on the type of pressure measurement being sense: absolute pressure, gage pressure, or differential pressure. Absolute pressure is pressure that is sensed relative to a vacuum, gage pressure is pressure sensed relative to ambient atmospheric pressure, and differential pressure is the pressure difference sensed between two different pressure sources.
As may be appreciated, when gage pressure is being sensed, a portion of the pressure sensor is exposed to the ambient atmospheric pressure of the environment in which it is installed. This is typically facilitated by forming a vent hole or passage in an appropriate portion of the sensor housing. To prevent accumulation of dust or other debris within the sensor housing, the vent hole or passage may include a sufficiently porous plug or filter. Presently known plugs and filters cannot, however, withstand many relatively high temperature and/or radiation environments. As a result, many presently known gage pressure sensors may not be suitable for use in such environments.
Hence, there is a need for a gage pressure sensor that can be used in relatively high temperature and/or high radiation environments. The present invention addresses at least this need.